Review: 71044 Disney Train and Station
Posted by CapnRex101,Disneyland remains extraordinarily popular and features numerous prominent attractions which continue to entertain many visitors. The brilliant Disneyland Railroad is particularly distinguished and provided inspiration for 71044 Disney Train and Station which appears marvellous in official product images.
This remarkable set contains 2925 pieces which are divided approximately evenly between the Disney Train and the spectacular Main Street, U.S.A. station. Both models seem fairly faithful to their respective source material and some outstanding minifigures are included too, the most notable of whom is undoubtedly Goofy!
Box and Contents
This packaging design resembles 71040 Disney Castle, featuring an attractive blue border which runs across the top. I like how the station is exhibited above the train so both models are clearly visible and the surrounding blue sky looks marvellous. Interior details are displayed on the reverse of the box with images of the C.K. Holliday locomotive and Main Street, U.S.A. station which inspired this set.
Eighteen numbered bags are found inside the box, along with three without numbers which contain larger pieces. Four separate instruction manuals are included too. These are focused upon the locomotive, each carriage and the railway station respectively. Models can therefore be constructed concurrently, providing an enjoyable collective building experience.
Some information about the Disneyland Railroad occupies several pages of the first manual. This is interesting but there is no interview with Marcos Bessa. Additional reference images would also have been welcome, particularly focusing upon the railway station interior which is decorated with many authentic details.
Three sticker sheets are provided, featuring 52 stickers. That seems somewhat disappointing as both models are heavily reliant upon stickers, although many of these are necessary to capture details that would otherwise be omitted altogether. Furthermore, certain designs line up across different pieces so special care should be taken when applying them.
Minifigures
LEGO has produced several different renditions of Mickey Mouse and this example is appropriately dressed as a train engineer. This minifigure is inspired by merchandise sold at Disneyland, featuring blue overalls and a red neckerchief which look nice. The dual-moulded arms are lovely but Mickey's cap is missing. That is disappointing as an approximately suitable piece was created for the Disney Collectable Minifigures.
Minnie Mouse seems overtly similar to the minifigure from 71040 Disney Castle, wearing an elegant red dress with white polka dots. However, the torso has been updated and now corresponds with her modern clothing at Disneyland, featuring two buttons and improved sleeve decoration. Moreover, the skirt is formed using a fabric component which allows Minnie to sit down.
Conducting duties are assigned to Chip and Dale, both of whom were introduced in the second series of Disney Collectable Minifigures. Their intricately moulded heads remain unchanged and look brilliant, including accurate colours and textured fur. I am especially pleased with Dale's characteristic red nose that corresponds precisely with his onscreen appearance.
Each minifigure features a formal dark blue uniform which looks realistic in relation to traditional train conductors. These designs are original and seem absolutely appropriate for the Disney train, although minifigures based upon Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers might have been more appealing. Nevertheless, I am satisfied with these fun characters.
However, the most exciting minifigure is definitely Goofy, whose absence from the Disney Collectable Minifigures has elicited some disappointment. This rendition of the fun character takes inspiration from his appearance at Disneyland parks across the world, hence the traditional black waistcoat is replaced with a flame yellowish orange garment and his trousers include a distinctive orange patch.
I would have preferred the standard design but this minifigure looks wonderful, featuring an exclusive head component. His pronounced teeth and enormous eyes look perfect and I like the lime green hat, although this may not be removed. Hopefully a different rendition of Goofy, based upon the animated character, will become available shortly.
The Completed Model
Steam trains have appeared consistently across the LEGO range for more than five decades and the beautiful Disney train is an outstanding example. This model measures 78cm in length and comprises four sections which are joined using standard magnetic couplings. Its predominant red colour scheme looks superb and twenty track components are provided, four of which are straight while the other sixteen are curved.
This locomotive takes inspiration from the C.K. Holliday steam engine and accordingly resembles an archetypal Wild West train, featuring two pairs of small leading wheels and larger driving axles. I love the dark green boiler housing, although dark blue may have been more accurate. The light bluish grey smokebox looks perfect though and an intricately detailed Westinghouse pump is fixed on the side.
An attractive cowcatcher is mounted on the front of the train. This red element previously appeared in 7597 Western Train Chase and compares favourably with the original locomotive, including two flag poles which are mounted on either flank. The flags are missing, unfortunately, but I like the decorative headlight above the smokebox and a small sticker is placed on the front, identifying this as Disneyland Railroad locomotive number one.
Additional stickers are positioned on both sides of the boiler, forming realistic golden strips. However, further strips should appear behind them and another running board should be attached between the existing dark tan boards and the piston cylinders. The pearl gold hand grips are excellent though and black wrenches have been ingeniously integrated, representing supports for the cowcatcher.
Functional connecting rods are connected to the rearmost wheels which is impressive and I like the rotating bogies as well. Furthermore, a metallic gold bell is situated beside two vertical cylinders that make clever use of red train wheels. The stickers on either side of the cab should read 'C.K. Holliday' but that title has been swapped for 'Disney Train' which seems reasonable as this model is evidently intended to be somewhat fantastical.
Unfortunately, the interior of the cab appears rather bland. There are no visible controls and the floor space is extremely limited, only providing room for one minifigure. Moreover, the floor moves with the bogie beneath which seems odd. I appreciate the opening roof though and a black 4x4 dish forms the circular firebox door.
The tender is connected to the locomotive using a magnetic coupler which is somewhat unusual and creates a substantial gap between them. It looks brilliant though and includes some beautiful stickers on each side. Their wording has been adjusted for the LEGO train but these stickers certainly capture the ornate design of their source material and the battery box is concealed inside.
Opening a hatch on top reveals the green activation button which is well hidden. The motorised wheel unit looks reasonable but is not entirely accurate when compared with the original vehicle as its tender should rest upon four pairs of wheels instead of two. Nevertheless, the Powered Up components have been effectively integrated and the train can be controlled perfectly using the Powered Up app.
Two carriages are included. They both measure eight studs wide so differ from the majority of LEGO trains but appear more realistically scaled with the track. The first carriage is based upon the Holiday Blue gondola car that carries passengers around Disneyland and includes a delightful striped awning. This is constructed using alternating blue and white 1x3 curved slopes with 1x1 tooth plates along the edges.
Fourteen reddish brown seats are situated within the carriage and these face sideways which seems sensible as the Disneyland Railroad encircles almost the whole park. Two sections of the awning can open for easy access but there is only adequate space for ten minifigures to sit because of their arms. In addition, I am impressed with the authentic yellow stripe beside the steps on one side.
Blue and white 1x2 tiles are attached along the opposite side and the roof is outwardly supported by eight 6L bars. In fact, red door frames are positioned between these bars so the carriage feels sturdy, despite its fragile appearance. Two bogies are fitted underneath and these can rotate when rounding corners. Moreover, the wheels have been updated so are now connected to the bearing individually, rather than using a metal axle.
An identical wheel configuration appears on the parlour car. This model combines red and dark red bricks to good effect and takes inspiration from the famous Lilly Belle carriage that was designed by Walt Disney's wife, Lillian. The stickers on each side are not entirely accurate but they look excellent and I like the decorative patterns applied at each corner of the vehicle as well.
Steps provide access to the carriage and they are connected to the bogies underneath. The platform looks good but offers insufficient space for the door to open properly which is disappointing. However, the overhanging roof is perfect and features a hidden Portuguese flag on the underside, making reference to Marcos Bessa who designed this set.
The interior is easily accessible by removing one side of the model. This is beautifully furnished with two adjoining seats, an armchair and a small table so definitely captures the grand atmosphere of its source material. The colour scheme is relatively dark but I appreciate the realistic red upholstery and some flowers are placed on the table, introducing a welcome splash of bright colour.
Another platform is situated at the rear of the carriage and includes a round emblem which is fixed to the dark green railing. This sticker has been simplified but remains fairly accurate. Both carriages are quite short and more would certainly have been welcome but I am very pleased with the Disney Train and it represents a significant improvement over past LEGO steam locomotives in my opinion.
Four railway stations are distributed around the Disneyland Railroad, the most famous of which is the Main Street, U.S.A. station. This building measures 36cm across and looks marvellous, featuring attractive dark red brickwork with some contrasting light bluish grey 1x2 tiles attached at each corner. The actual station extends further to each side but this structure is the most interesting so omitting its wings was sensible.
The station platform provides little space but I like the exposed studs which are helpful for displaying minifigures. Furthermore, the black light fixtures look superb and differing pillars flank this area of the station, demonstrating exceptional attention to detail. The signage could be improved though as these letters seem rather small when compared with the original building and any references to Disneyland have been removed.
Dormer windows are positioned across the medium nougat roof. Similar architectural features have appeared in previous sets but this example is particularly effective in my opinion, including angled roofs which are carefully integrated with their surrounding structure. The decorative scrollwork looks nice too and seems reminiscent of 71040 Disney Castle which incorporates the same 1x2 scroll brick.
Masonry bricks were also employed extensively across the earlier Disney set and they look fantastic here, creating wonderful texture. I like the reddish brown doors and the light bluish grey archways are equally majestic, despite their relative simplicity. In addition, black paint roller components form the light fittings above each door and they certainly evoke an appropriate architectural style.
LEGO buildings are sometimes criticised for lacking depth and the Disney Station might elicit similar discussion. However, one side appears remarkably broad, providing adequate room for two windows and another door. This offers a wider range of options for displaying the model but its other side does not match, unfortunately.
Instead, the opposite end includes a balcony with wrought iron railings. The ornate 1x4 fence element at its centre looks lovely and has been ingeniously integrated with 1x2x2 window frames on each side. Their designs do not match perfectly but they are complementary and I like the trans-clear door, although this might seem even more realistic with a curtain inside.
An impressive clock is fixed to the tower and this printed component looks suitably majestic, featuring simple Roman numerals with a bronze border. Naturally, the time is approaching midnight which has been inherently associated with Disney since Cinderella was released. The surrounding decoration appears faithful to the actual Main Street, U.S.A. station and includes some striking pearl gold parts.
Black handcuffs are connected to skeleton leg elements along the top of each roof, forming intricate ridge cresting. Assembling these decorative features is repetitive but I think the result looks absolutely spectacular! The projecting metalwork around the taller tower does not quite replicate the design of the original building but appears attractive and I like the white flags, featuring Mickey Mouse's distinctive silhouette and the Disney branding.
Turning the model around reveals its detailed interior. Structures with open backs are not universally popular but this configuration does provide easy access to the internal space. Several different rooms are included and their arrangement is reminiscent of the original station at Disneyland, although certain furnishings from the ground floor have been moved upstairs while others are omitted entirely.
Reddish brown crates form the ticket counter. The same building technique appeared in 21310 Old Fishing Store and this is extremely effective, creating texture that resembles authentic wood. Another white plant pot is placed in here, matching the Lilly Belle parlour car, while the ticket prices are shown on a sticker at the other end of the counter. In addition, an advertisement is displayed on the wall and features Marcos Bessa's birthday!
Benches have appeared in countless sets but this example seems particularly realistic, including gaps between the wooden planks which are cleverly created through the use of headlight bricks. The white waste bin looks excellent as well and black lanterns are mounted on the walls, further recreating the traditional design and atmosphere of this station.
Several additional posters are displayed in this section of the building, taking inspiration from historic advertisements. These include Bjorn Aronson's Santa Fe and Disneyland Railroad poster from 1955 and Paul Hartley's Disneyland Monorail poster that was produced during 1959. Moreover, the wooden door is flanked by some weighing scales on one side and a photograph of the Lilly Belle train.
Walt Disney constructed this miniature railway in his own garden and its locomotive, named Lilly Belle, inspired the C.K. Holliday train which remains active today. This miniature model depicts the Lilly Belle and looks magnificent, including a realistic medium nougat cab. The tiny leading wheels are ingeniously represented by a red roller skate which is connected upside down to the boiler.
The same building technique is replicated for another miniature steam locomotive on the upper level. This vehicle does not resemble any from Disneyland but its shape and bright colour scheme match the Walter E. Disney locomotive from Walt Disney World. Paintings hang above each scale model and this room also includes a plant beside the balcony door.
An intricately decorated rug is laid in the neighbouring corridor and this includes two Mickey Mouse silhouettes. The red curtains look marvellous and wooden display cabinets are situated between them, containing memorabilia from the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway which inspired Walt Disney's love for trains! These stickers show maps of the railway system and a round Disneyland badge which remains in the Main Street, U.S.A station today.
However, this section of the building lacks a roof which is slightly disappointing. The adjoining area is elegantly furnished though, featuring an armchair that shares its design with one found inside the Lilly Belle parlour car. I love the small table but some awkward Technic pins are visible above the windows and they could probably have been concealed by installing curtains or further posters.
The uppermost chamber does not take inspiration from the original station, instead containing 71040 Disney Castle! This small model is immediately recognisable and includes delightful detail, especially since it accurately comprises light bluish grey, white, tan and pearl gold elements. A printed 2x3 tile is also included to depict the box, matching the style of 10255 Assembly Square which contains the box for 10182 Café Corner.
Overall
LEGO and Disneyland have been closely associated with trains for more than fifty years and 71044 Disney Train and Station represents an excellent celebration of this shared passion. The locomotive appears highly detailed, surpassing almost any previous steam engine, while the carriages offer ample room for minifigures to ride on board. I am particularly pleased by their increased width and hope that will be replicated in future sets.
However, this set costs £299.99 or $329.99 which seems quite expensive, especially when compared with 71040 Disney Castle. The electronic and track components justify that price to some degree but I would recommend waiting for a discount or enticing promotion before purchasing the set. Nevertheless, I am confident that Disney fans will enjoy 71044 Disney Train and Station.
I hope you have found this review informative. Let us know by liking this article and share your opinion of the set in the comments below.
This set was provided for review by The LEGO Group but the review is an expression of my own opinions.
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116 comments on this article
I need this now.
My eyes hurt on seeing that price tag :’(
WoW this set looks crazy good and I want it ! But that price TT
Cool. Would love to see more buildings for Main Street.
This set is really cool! The detailing on the exterior of the station is really attractive! It's a shame about the price tho...
I wish LEGO had left the Powered Up motor components out and included only a short line of track to reduce the price, perhaps selling a “booster pack” to add those items for those who want them. But I love the design and the figures!
allthough I love the appearance of the set I can't help wondering why no Powered Up remote has been included (or did I misread that?). Surely you want to build this and let the train run its course and maybe let kids play with it. But I wouldn't be to happy to leave my phone so they can play with the train. And with this price tag, surely I could have been included..?
Nice review though. Thanks!
Only thing I care about is Goofy. Hopefully they put him a collectible minifig set or advent calendar so I have a cheaper way to obtain him.
Lego, why are you trying to make me broke?
CK Holliday is the only steam engine I have rode in the cab (well tender to be precise) while the engine was operating... yeah this touches all the right sentimental chords for me.
The ATSF references are also double duty tributes to Disneyland history and Lego's own Super Chief set!
The station really needed a platform, it's too, flat on the ground.
I think it's clear 'normal' Goofy will be coming out next year with CMF Series 3. No way LEGO made a new mold just for this one set.
Wow I love this! Not gonna spend a combined almost $700 on this and the castle though :/
Oh my god, a little train enthusiast I know is going to go crazy if he see's it and I can not afford it this year. Any Ideas projects similar to this steam engine could be devoid of success for a while which is a shame.
Ok I hope children and Disney collectors thoroughly enjoy this but the cab interior with the 'moving bogey' floor, combined with all those stickers is below the 'collector' presented and priced status, reminiscent of the UCS MF in my personal opinion. Almost incredible and what a building!
Glad to see the feet printing for Goofy and Mickey was just bad in the pictures and not in the actual set!
I would of loved this but it’s a definitely a no from me due to the stickers. I would happily pay extra for printed bricks. Such a shame
Pretty sure the reason for the cloth skirt is so she can sit down in the train, the moulded piece doesn't really allow for that too comfortably!
I like it, I do. It's just absurdly expensive, and I couldn't justify that, on any Lego set. As gorgeous as it seems.
And those damn new wheels. I don't like them, not one bit, and I don't know a single AFOL-trains who does. Between this and the Hidden Side train, I guess this is how Lego is going to do train wheels, from now on, and that makes me sad.
People complaining about the price seriously need to calm down, Lego is sticking to 10 cents a piece while also including tons of track parts along with new and exclusive moulds and prints.
Cinderella's Castle, check.
Disneyland Railroad, check.
Now we need the monorail. How happy would that make AFOLs who grew up in the 80's and 90's?
This is an amazing set, though I'm a bit disappointed that it has an open back. I would have loved to use it as the primary train station in my city. That said, it does give me some inspiration for the entrance gate to my amusement park.
I will keep pointing out it costs twice as much as the City Passenger Train and comes with nearly 5 times the pieces. Plus you can sell Goofy alone for probably $30.
A little bit expensive, but man, I love this set! Both the station and the train look great!
@crops
The price is already quite high for a set of this size, and adding stickers would've increased the price exponentially, to somewhere around $360. You may personally be willing to pay extra, but LEGO's core consumers- namely children and those buying for children would likely not. As is, I appreciate the stickers on this set, and really only those on the station sign are entirely necessary for detail in my opinion.
Great design for the locomotive and tender, and as mentioned previously I might be biased about the tender because it has SO MUCH in common with mine, it's crazy to think we designed our tenders independently. I think there's just one QoL feature my MOC has that this doesn't — mine has a removable back wall to make it significantly easier to remove the Hub to get its batteries changed, whereas I can't see an easy way to access the Hub in this tender without partially taking it apart. Kinda hard to pull out the Hub from just the side with the ports, believe me, I tried, which is the entire reason I made the back wall of mine removable.
My locomotive and tender are linked with magnets as well, however the loco magnet is inset by at least one stud so there's less of a gap between the cab and the tender.
Since the floor of the cab is actually part of the bogie and therefore rotates with it, is Mickey unable to occupy the cab securely without interfering with the bogie's movement? That's also one massive firebox door — the black 4x4 dish is exactly what I use for the front of the smokebox in my MOC...
8-wide rolling stock on 24-long train bases looks really off to me. I wish 7-wide with the interior space to boot (i.e. 6-wide with SNOT embellishments doesn't count) were easily doable, rather than having to be accomplished through heavy clever (and possibly fragile) part usage and very careful design.
That said, I've been planning to design my own passenger cars to go with my steam engine, and the parlor car in this set looks to be a great inspiration; well, other than the fact that it's 8-wide. I especially love the roof; does anybody know what the raised area with the trans-clear plates in the middle is called on real rolling stock?
The station does indeed look incredibly tedious to build at certain areas. I feel that too many parts are used to create all these small details which has ended up padding the part count and in turn the price, significantly, while creating a building that's not all that large. Not that I dislike the details, I do enjoy the finished product! But what I couldn't imagine myself enjoying for long is the build process of the exterior. Nevertheless, some of the exterior and interior will serve as inspiration for my own LEGO train station.
Speaking of the interior, I'm not a fan of the fully studless bench, especially given that the counter is fully studded. They should have made one of the tiles a plate instead so two minifigures could be securely seated on it. But I just don't like unnecessarily studless surfaces in general — I think there should be a decent balance between studded and studless so I'm not limited to a few arbitrary points at which to place minifigures and objects. But I digress.
Lastly, unfortunately I've never been to WDW and am not a Disney superfan by any stretch of the imagination so I have no comments on the Disney aspects of this set, but I like Goofy so I will say I'm just as excited about Goofy as any other Goofy fan is! Very interesting, though perhaps not really surprising, that his hat isn't removable.
This set is interesting, but I feel like it's lacking something, I don't know, Disney Castle is better
I think the price is justifiable with the piece count, powered up components, the track, and the overall detail and design of the set. It's only discouraging in a sense that $330 is a big price tag depending on what $330 means to you. (For example, for me, $330 could mean 11 days of food, or a substantial portion of rent).
Librarian1976: "Cinderella's Castle, check.
Disneyland Railroad, check.
Now we need the monorail. How happy would that make AFOLs who grew up in the 80's and 90's?
This is an amazing set, though I'm a bit disappointed that it has an open back. I would have loved to use it as the primary train station in my city. That said, it does give me some inspiration for the entrance gate to my amusement park."
Well... if we assume this bi-annual Lego theme loosely based on Disney parks location continues I wouldn't rule the monorail out, as its a good idea, but unfortunately it lacks any unique "weenie" to go with it the same way the train and castle have. My next bet would be on possibly something like the Haunted Mansion (assuming its Ideas set just doesn't get approved via that route), since the Mansion could be a large structure, similar in size to the previous Monster Fighter's Haunted House and include unique play features. Another bet I'd place would be on a steam paddle boat like the Mark Twain, it would be unique in Lego form and could easily be large enough for a massive D2C set.
If I can snag this on clearance eventually, it looks like a great addition to my winter village. I'll leave off the stickers, add some snow and expand my holiday train!
If it meant a reduction in price, I’d love every set to include stickers instead of printed pieces. I understand printed pieces are nice, but with as much as sets costs, stickers are a small inconvenience I’m willing to accept. At least I’d like to think stickers help keep costs down...
As a kid, I would have loved this set, especially with the Uncle Scrooge and Huey, Dewey, and Louie CMFs. Today, the front of the train looks a bit off somehow relative to the real CK Holliday train. Perhaps there should be some more black tiles on the front.
@TomKazutara - yeah, those trans clear pieces used for the ceiling light are just atrocious
@Zordboy: I still don't know what new train wheels you're referring to...
The new 'milky' trans clear is awful, I hate it. My Thor's Weapon Quest came with an old trans-clear front window and a new trans clear back window. The back one was scratched all to hell, all the new pieces are. The plastic is so soft it's scratched by regular bricks even before you open the packet, and even pristine it looks cheap and nasty.
Love the concept and design. The price seems on point for piece count and electronics but I think I'll wait for a tempting promo to seal the deal.
Classic Lego putting irrelevant yet heavily wanted figure in expensive set!
But I must admit set looks georgous.
Shall the man on the black and white photo inside the station resemble Walt Disney himself?
Nice for Disney fans but not something for me.
Those giant sets almost never get huge discounts.
The unending journey away from volume, scale and 4 walls in favor of "intricately detailed" and mass amounts of small-piece-greebling continues, I see...
{Sigh}
Happy for those who love that about latter-day LEGO! Haunted House got me out of my Dark Ages and I'm amazed that it still is really the only of its type (4-wall, detailed, doll-house style). Glad I still have it!!!
WOW! I’m thrilled about this! They’ve perfectly captured the charm of Disney in this set, and who doesn’t love a good LEGO train set?! Very excited!
A beast of a set but like every Disney set there is a high cost to pay for them.
There really shouldn't be any stickers when it comes to large scale sets :/
Oh god, so many stickers that would need to be aligned perfectly with other stickers...
I just hope we don't have to wait too long for Goofy in a less expensive set. The train and station look great, but I have neither the funds nor the display space for it.
Huge Disney dork, and I am definitely getting this, just waiting for a nice freebie from the LEGO store or double vip points. Nice to see this got an excellent review
Never having been to Disneyland (only to Disney World), this isn’t as exciting as the castle to me, but looks very well done
Shame we don't get Donald and Pluto in this set... The train looks really great - but due to the price it is in my opinion aimed at the adult fanbase. Perhaps Lego will make smaller and more affordable (even 4+) sets in the future?
I love it! However, why 52 stickers? I am tired of stickers vs printed parts on premium priced sets. If LEGO can provide printed bricks for Juniors / 4+ and offer all bells & whistles on Polybag Collectible Minis, I expect the same for UCS - styled sets such as this.
My immediate reaction was: Wow, that is one tacky box art.
Now, as a fan of Duck and Mouse comics I've always wanted a Lego Disney theme, but I find the sets and CMFs we eventually got these past few years quite disappointing. Okay, the castle wasn't that bad because at least it included all those movie references. But this set only looks like advertising to me. They could have utilized the actual stories and characters - especially those from the comic book branch that haven't really been touched on at all so far. But instead they merely depicted Disneyland and its bland "costumed mascot" versions of Mickey and co again.
@ronvining LEGO does prints for Juniors sets because juniors sets are toys that get tossed around the house, grabbed on by sweaty hands, and are played with vigorously, so if they had stickers they would wear out too easily. For big display sets like these stickers are sufficient as we can expect them to be either displayed or gently played with, but not tossed around. Of course, printed parts are ideal, but that depends on the usability of that element, and I would imagine for this set, the detailed elements aren't very usable outside of this set.
This set is DOA in Europe.
Not that good tbh. Stickers in a £300 set simply cannot be justified, I don't care what anyone says. Some nice recolours though that I look forward to seeing in other sets.
"The locomotive appears remarkably detailed, surpassing any previous steam engine..."
Seriously? You reckon this is better than Emerald Night?
How big is it with all the tracks set up? I was hoping to see a picture of everything set up.
@CapnRex101 I think we'll be waiting a while on Rescue Rangers merch of any kind. Maybe if by some miracle the next Disney series is themed after the Disney Afternoon we could see something; or, I suppose, Disney could really go crazy and give us a wave of Disney Afternoon sets.
Surprised to see the cable in the tender. Would much prefer that be hidden to preserve the illusion.
I love the set but 52 stickers doesn't make me wanna buy it.
I wonder if the tender electronic box thing could be flipped over to hide the wire. Maybe newer versions of that box can have multiple wire plug in locations.
Also, it would be nice to have a button cover part combo (like a push button light switch or power button) where the frame part has a inner part that can be depressed to press the green button. Those covers could be made in different colors without having to have multiple colors of the electronics.
Is that Mrs. Potts and Chip riding the train, too?
Am I the only one who wishes for LEGO to make a regular retail theme in this Disney style? Maybe not as much detail but something as detailed as the Harry Potter sets.
So I have a question: what Power Up components are included with the set, and what Power Up components would I need to purchase additionally, in order to run this train with power?
Wow yeah, the new clear plastic is not great.
@Duq - I do not actually own 10194-1 Emerald Night and was considering American-style locomotives when making that comment. However, 10194-1 Emerald Night is certainly an impressive set so perhaps it would be more accurate to say that I think the Emerald Night is the best example of a European steam train while the Disney Train is my favourite American locomotive.
@mbatson - The completed track layout is too large for my photography area but measures 96cm across the longer side and 70cm across the shorter side.
@SearchlightRG - You are probably right, although I believe Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers remains fairly well known. A future series of Disney Collectable Minifigures is probably the best chance.
@ggfile - This set contains 88009-1 Hub and 88011-1 Train Motor so includes everything required to motorise the train, other than six AAA batteries.
I have a few trains already, but I'm not a big train buyer. I feel they are too similar (logically by the fact they are all trains). That said, this set is roughly $200 more than the average train set. Which means that building is waaaaay over-priced. I was considering getting it just because the kids love Disney stuff, but not for anywhere near $329.
I like the building and if you get rid of the Disney fluff, it would fit well with modulars. I'm not interested in the train and it looks very reminiscent of the recent Christmas train. I would probably buy the building by itself but not in this expensive package. Too bad they didn't turn this into two sets like the Christmas train + station.
This set is gorgeous, but the train seems lacking to me, like they just added another car onto the Winter Village Train. I adore the station though and was going to buy this on day one, but now I think I’ll wait for double points or a good promotion. It’s a bit expensive. $300 would’ve been perfect.
I will always remember 2019 as the year LEGO finally broke my wallet, and my marriage.
So not impressed with the stickers! Why not just give us printed bricks at that price?!? Stickers are just the worst!!
Actually, $330 is not too bad considering the part count, the tracks, and the battery box. There is some Disney tax, but it is way better than the Star Wars line.
When the third CMF Disney series comes out, I am sure classic Goofy will appear. Having this be the only set he ever appears in would be cold hearted, and I agree they probably want to use that mold again.
A fabric component for Minnie’s skirt seems a step backwards from the plastic skirt piece. But that’s probably my only complaint against this magnificent set. :)
Edit: oh, yeah I hate tediously aligning stickers and the stress of being afraid of messing it up or getting dust or a crease in them, so there’s that. But otherwise, a must-buy.
This is a beautiful set and a definite purchase. I just need to wait for an excellent promotion or for it to come to retail in Australia so that we have at least a chance at a discount.
Big Disney Fan here! I was totally blown away when I saw a picture of this on twitter this morning. There was not price tag but I did expect it to be around £250+ Its a little reminiscent of the UCS Hoth set at £230 in terms of price.
I love trains and I love this set as it brings back the memories of my first visit to Disneyworld Resort over 20 years ago. I was luckily that i got the castle for christmas last year during a double points event and I will probably purchase this one again during double points.
The colours on the train are great. I like some of the details they have used. I particularly like the station building as well and the nod to the Castle set.
Hopefully this set will become available in other stores other than a LEGO exclusive as I know if John Lewis get a hold of it we may see it reduced in price. They have done that with the Rollercoaster and at the UCS Falcon. I have the Haunted house set so with my amusement park rides I will be able to build a nice Disneyland of my own.
I will have to rank which sets to buy as there are a few big sets that I need to purchase at the moment.
Thanks for a great review I really enjoyed reading it. The only mini figure I am really missing right now and hope they finally do it at some point is Pluto. He is Mickey's dog after all so it would be fabulous to have him as a MF as he is my favourite.
I like how the engine looks like a classic 19th century 4-4-0 Locomotive. It's not often we see something realistic within lego that really captures historical moments. This is a must get.
It doesn’t look like a 3000 piece set to me. It’s just a train and a trainstation. Looks more like 1500 pieces or so to me but maybe the set is bigger irl than it appears on photos
@LegoSonicBoy "I still don't know what new train wheels you're referring to..."
They've completely redesigned their train wheels by doing away with the metal pins and making them completely plastic that turn independantly (not to mention, sound tinny and cheap, and will wear out very quickly after even a moderate amount of use) ... and you're still not sure what I'm referring to?
I don't know what else to say here.
SearchlightRG:
" @CapnRex101 I think we'll be waiting a while on Rescue Rangers merch of any kind. Maybe if by some miracle the next Disney series is themed after the Disney Afternoon we could see something; or, I suppose, Disney could really go crazy and give us a wave of Disney Afternoon sets."
Actually... https://io9.gizmodo.com/the-rescue-rangers-are-coming-to-ducktales-second-seaso-1836542135
My 9 yo’s review upon seeing the set: “It looks nice but the guys are not very good”
I concur. I would purchase this without the minifigs
That new pizza guy mini figure will add a nice touch.
"...and seems reminiscent of 71040 Disney Castle which is heavily reliant upon the same 1x2 scroll brick." You call 4 white and 2 tan scroll bricks in a set with over 4,00 parts "heavily reliant"?
Lego should make the manual to show the set support the electric element but separate it (let customer to decide if they want it and buy that separately). Compare with the price to castle this set is quite overpriced.
While I appreciate that this train is based on colorful subject material, it would be really nice to someday get a more utilitarian American-style 4-6-0 like the ones used in the West for logging. I guess that Lego didn't think the mountain or forest police lines could take on a train heist!
The Chip and Dale uniforms look like they could be really useful for more generic train lines, and the station itself is packed with useful pieces. I'll have to echo the others wishing this was two separate sets, I'd be much more inclined to purchase the steam engine alone. It would be a lovely set without the station and associated costs.
The best part is that LEGO have finally gone to 8 wide carriages. The worst part is the $NZ price.
Where the castle was based on Cinderella's Castle at Walt Disney World in Florida, this is based on the train station at Disneyland in California. It's fitting, since that train line is the whole reason Walt Disney even founded Disneyland, after shutting down and dismantling his garden line following an accident that resulted in a little girl being injured. The train, C.K. Holliday, was the first engine built for Disneyland, and it was based on the same plans used for the original Lilly Belle that he had built for his garden rail system (Carolwood Pacific Railroad). Earlier this year, I watched a presentation by a Disney historian on Walt's obsession with trains, and I can't remember what it is anymore, but he stated that the Disney trains hold some sort of record, like maybe the largest privately-owned operating collection of live steam engines, or train engines in general.
@Zordboy: Well, yeah, you were previously going off as though they redesigned the wheels aesthetically rather than functionally, calling them "hideous", and when I asked for clarification the first time (and I did mention the removal of metal axles), you didn't respond. At least I can blame the RSotD comment timeouts for that, which is why I decided to ask you again.
Anyway, yeah I'm aware they newly replaced the metal axles with independent plastic wheels. JANG and New Elementary have tested the new wheels, the latter slightly more rigorously, and found that they perform on par with, even *more consistently than* the original metal axles, albeit with more friction as you said. I personally have found the metal axles difficult to put together and will not miss them, and I actually like the added friction because it means my individual train cars, when not attached to a train, won't slip all over the place, as they've been doing. But now that you've mentioned the long-term implications, I do hope these wheels will hold up. Maybe someone who owns the Joker Manor can tell us if their roller coaster wheels are still running like hot butter 2 years later?
But I don't think it was necessary to keep up that alarmist tone for what seems to be three comments across the site now *and* snap at me like that for asking a question. Just because we're more than casual fans here doesn't mean we know everything or can intuit someone's unclear language. I'm trying not become a broken record myself on why I don't like verbally disagreeing with others on this site...
I've never had the room nor enough interest to collect any LEGO train sets but this one may change all that. I have fond memories of going to Disneyland and feeling my excitement ramp up upon seeing that train station. I'm not sure how to justify the cost but I'm keeping my eye on this set!
I really like the set but can't justify half a month's rent for it. Hopefully in future there's a cheaper way to get a Goofy minifigure (or I get a bonus at work ??)
How much bigger is it compared to other trains? Jangbricks said the 8+stud with was noticeable and could cause issues running with other trains on a layout.
I've never been a fan of theme parks, Disney or otherwise, but this train and station have enough ties to historic examples that I'm greatly tempted to add them to my collection. I wasn't aware Disney was such a train fan himself and that adds to the set's charm! The price is certainly high but not IMO outrageous, given all the electronics provided. Not having a remote is a nuisance and there are other details I'm likely to modify, but this is going on my want list. Maybe at the next double points event--though now I come to think of it, double points is not the attraction it used to be. A shame that Lego's online presence is so much less attractive than their actual product!
Currently on preorder on ebay at £450 lol and someone out there will pay it.
My two cents:
Let me start off by saying I have never been to any Disney theme park and am therefor a little more objective about the set than someone whose feelings might be influenced by their recollections of visiting and experiencing the attraction firsthand.
As for the set, while I appreciate the overall design, several aspects sour the expectations for me:
1. The stickers. Yes, let's beat the dead horse again, but at such a price point, stickers in that quantity are a no-go! They couldn't even print the 1x1 round tile on the front of the train? Seriously? Look at Cobi, look at MegaConstrux, look at basically all the relevant competition. None of them use stickers to such an extreme extent. Yet their sets, even licenced ones, are still far more reasonably priced. Plus, Cobi prints are generally much better than LEGO ones to begin with. How come?
2. The new cheaper pieces, notably all the trans-clear ones as well as the new train wheels. The saddest part is that clone manufacturers like Lepin et al used to be notorious for their milky trans-clear pieces, while original LEGO was easily identifiable by their immaculate version of trans-clear. Nowaydays it is the other way around, the clone manufacturers offer near-perfect trans-clear pieces while LEGO has opted for the cheap-and-hideous-looking milky variety. Yuck.
3. The price. While the PPP ratio looks ok at first glance, seeing what you get for the money compared to something like the Disney Castle makes it look quite a bit worse. Combined with all the methods of cheaping out as mentioned above, including the fact that it is missing a Powered-up controller, makes it totally unacceptable.
And comparing it to standard LEGO trains sets doesn't help, as those are notorious for being the sets with the worst PPP ratio of all LEGO themes (other than Unikitty and Angry Birds perhaps).
Summing up, at a substantial discount I might get this set, yet still won't apply most of the stickers, but at RRP no way this will find its place next to my Disney Castle.
I really like the station - actually I’d love to get a complete one with a back and roof. All those poor mini figures must get drenched when it rains.
The design of this set is really good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uI7q_x9uGiQ&feature=youtu.be ;)
Agree with the reviewer...too expensive and too many stickers. I plan to wait for a suitable discount and pick it up as I am a sucker for Lego steam trains. I don't see spending $330 on it...ever.
@Jackthenipper It's OK, it's Disneyland, and if Albert Hammond is to be believed, it never rains in Southern California.
I don't have a probem with the stickers until they print the same piece for a cheaper set. Ghostbusters headquarters sign was a sticker, then they printed the same tile for a Dimensions set. Hogwarts had stickers for the house crests, then they printed them for the advent calendar and a bloody book! So, yeah, I half expect those flags to come out printed in a polybag at some point!!!
Really cool but price is ridiculous, the piece count is clearly inflated by tons of tiny elements. As pointed out again and again STOP with stickers! I don't think any set over 100$ should rely on stickers for major detail. I skipped Tantive IV for the same reasons. I actually laughed out loud when I saw the tiny flat disc on the front of the locomotive had a number one sticker. This is a disturbing trend and I have been skipping a lot of large sets I had planned on buying. If I want to play stickers with my kids, I can buy hundreds of them for a buck at the dollar store!
@BovineBrick and @stupibea@yahoo.com
One of you should buy the set and sell the other half on a private sale on eBay. Seems like a match made in Lego heaven.
I see half a set for sale on eBay all the time.
I guess I’m in the minority when it comes to stickers. I’d never skip a set I liked and wanted simply because it had stickers. It’s not ideal, but the pleasure I get from owning and building a set far outweighs the displeasure I get from stickers. And I don’t see them stopping anytime soon, since many people buy sets to reuse the bricks, which printed pieces don’t allow much for.
@Mica86: Yeah, I get it. Y'know, I'm just as frustrated as everyone else is about the new transparent material, I just didn't comment on it since others already have. But if I did, I'd be writing another mini essay on it, which I don't need to because New Elementary's already covered its pros and cons.
What does that mean ? "Hopefully a different rendition of Goofy, based upon the animated character, will become available shortly."
Are we expecting another Goofy later this year?
^I believe he mentions in the review that Goofy wearing this particular outfit is based on the one that walks around the theme parks. This is a different outfit to what he generally wears in the cartoons.
No future sets guaranteed, just the hope that he'll appear in a different outfit at some point in the future. Mickey is already on his fifth Lego outfit.
$ 329.99? I will pass.
I don't mind a few small stickers on a retail set, but if you're going to charge 330$ for a train and the facade of a mid-sized building, I don't think cheap stickers (some quite large) should be used all over everything. The Jurassic Park gate was of no interest to me, but my only thought looking at it was they couldn't print the JP sign?? The Tantive IV cockpit pieces could have been printed as well but nope...chintzy looking stickers are mainly the only detail on the whole front of the ship. I love the modulars and the no sticker policy...don't understand why it doesn't apply to even more expensive sets.
@Mica86:
Pick one: printed parts, or new elements. That's what the set designers have to do. Every time they prepare to design for a theme, they have a limited number of "frames" they can use across multiple sets. An existing part in a new color (or one that hasn't been seen in a while) or print on an element each cost a frame. So, this set features black handcuffs. Just to add one printed element, you gotta give those up. It has red train wheels. Lose those if you want another printed element. Dark-red grille bricks, that blue plate with the hanging tooth, the caramel slopes and quarter-round plate...five more printed elements. Now, that's only seven printed elements that you bought into the set. There are 33 unique stickers in this set, so you have to go start culling new elements from everything else until you can free up 26 more of those frames. You can get about half of them by just ditching the minifigs, but where are you going to get the rest? Remember, all the other set designers are busy trying to free up frames so _they_ can also skip stickers in the high-end sets they're designing, so you might need to resort to physical violence to get them to hand over some of those freed up frames.
Do you begin to understand why they use stickers now? Brickheadz was an odd duck because they had _NO_ minifigs in their sets, which left them with plenty of available frames to bring out a nice spread of new elements and exclusively deal in printed elements. Go look at Apocalypseburg, which features something close to two dozen unique minifig elements after you factor in the deco.
@sklamb:
During that presentation, we actually watched an early Donald Duck/Chip & Dale cartoon, where Donald was running a garden rail system in his own back yard and decided that he needed to get rid of the tree where Chip & Dale lived because it wasn't in scale with the railroad. It's supposedly inspired by his own CPRR layout.
@notpennysboat:
Goofy is a core character, and one of the biggest gaps in the lineup. People have been expecting him since Disney Series 1 was unveiled. They expected him in the Disney Castle, then in Disney Series 2, and finally they come out with one in this set...but it's not the park costume like Mickey/Minnie. CMF won't just copy an existing minifig, so it's reasonable to assume that, especially since they don't have to budget for a mold to make Goofy's head, a Disney Series 3 will likely include Goofy, and it will have to involve a different look. The park costume is a logical possibility. There's no guarantee, nor is there a timetable, but the probability just skyrocketed with this set.
I've just been on Lego's website to see why it's so expensive and having seen that the hub is £45!!! I can see why.
From what I can see the hub is a battery box and not even rechargeable, so why is it so expensive???
I don't remember the old one being that much or am I mistaken?
Why couldn't they have sold it without the power functions and the track, that would have dropped the price a fair bit. I'd guess that there are lots of collectors who already have a motor and battery box they could use and don't need a second. Why force everyone to have to buy one?
I do love the look of the set and if it had been closer to £200 without the extras I would buy it, but when you think it's this or the new range of Harry Potter sets , I'll stick with Harry until theres a sale.
@starwarsfan14:
The hub combines the battery box and the receiver function from PF, but upgrades it from IR to Bluetooth.
Looks interesting with some useful train parts that I might want to get, but my wallet would like it if the train and station portions were spun off into separate sets.
@starwarsfan14: any LEGO power component ever produced has been way overpriced. Those new items just continue this trend, albeit with even more ridiculous prices.
Just take a look at what similar electronic components cost elsewhere to see how insane LEGO prices are. Especially considering that their components aren't even close to what would technically be possible or state-of-the-art. Not even including a rechargable battery pack with a standard charging cable is just one big gripe. Total incompatability with older components another. The list goes on.
I love the set, but the price is a killer. Also, where's Pluto?
@PurpleDave Red train wheels aren't new pieces. The most recent Winter Holiday Train had them.
I only want the station but I guess I'll take the train too WAIT A MINUTE HOW MUCH?
@SeekerBear: It's unclear which one Dave is referring to; the big ones are indeed from the WHT; while the small ones are based on the new wheel design sans metal axles, and are therefore new.
This inspired me to make my Hogwarts Express 8 studs wide.
Wow, love this! Both the train and station are beautifully elegant and have some nice fun touches. The price is predictably high (as with all large LEGO sets), but actually does not seem out of line compared with similar set pricing. The Disney castle of course had a better price-per-part ratio, but that was surely because there were hundreds of tiny 1x1s. This set has a relatively greater number of large pieces - including tracks and a train motor. In terms of weight of ABS I would guess the price ratio is about what one would expect. Definitely going on my want list... which is getting long for this year, going to have to make some tough choices!
omg love the Chip n Dale! waiting for double points on this.
con: horrible horrible HORRIBLE stickers!!! half of those should be PRINTED. Gosh darn it, Lego!!! These stickers are an insult when you charge this much for a set!!!!!!!!!
I just figured out why I don’t like the Chip and Dale figures...they’re not supposed to be wearing pants. In the cartoons when clothed, the characters only have tops on.
@LukeSkywalker, I avoid stickers on my LEGO. On the rare occasions when I do use them, I position them using window cleaner (specifically, Windolene). It allows you to place stickers exactly where you want them and removes the risk of creasing. It’s a technique recommended by LEGO.
@Mica86:
Two constant gripes that long ago grew tiresome are complaining that LEGO sets have gotten too expensive (corollary being the fictional "licensing tax") when the price-per-piece ratio hasn't really budged from $0.10/pc in four decades, and that expensive high-end sets like this should never have stickers when stickers is what helps make expensive high-end sets like this possible. If all you're saying is that a few select stickers should have been printed parts instead, yeah, that's actually a reasonable request. But when it's pretty standard for 5-10% of all comments on a set like this to be "NO STICKERS!", it kinda blends in with the latter.
As for peeling, only one type of stickers has been prone to peeling, and that's the type that many AFOLs prefer. I refer, of course, to the white-backed plastic stickers. Paper stickers tend to suck up dirt, and the print wears off along the edges with any degree of play. Clear stickers (my personal favorite) get a bad rap because people don't know how to apply them properly and blame the sticker stock. White plastic stickers are the ones that have been known to peel and crumble to dust. Not _ALL_ white plastic stickers have this problem (just as not all black rubber bands similarly crumble to dust within a week of being stretched for the first time, as happened with the ones used in the first year of Bionicle), but when they do, it's a universal problem. I've also had white plastic sticker sheets where the stickers have started to curl at the edges even though they were never removed from the original sticker backing. So, how helpful would it be to hand out a second sticker sheet if the unused sheet actually starts to deteriorate before the applied stickers?
@SeekerBear:
Not the new train wheels with the built-in pin:
https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=38340
Black wheels are available in the Hidden Side train, but the Disney Train comes with both red and black (at the moment, Bricklink does not have this set inventory uploaded). The red drivers originally came in the Toy Story 3 train, BTW. MichLUG actually ended up with a _HUGE_ pile of them that nobody wanted. People were ordering the wheels on LUGBulk in matched sets (two flanged wheels for every blind driver), and when the order was filled they had sent a 3-pack for every wheel that was ordered. Nobody wanted 3x as many wheels as they'd ordered, we weren't allowed to sell them, we couldn't get anyone to agree to cover shipping so we could return them...so we ended up donating them to the Brickworld Chicago goody bags a few years ago (2016, I think?).
Thanks for the great review, I’ve just finished building this and it is absolutely superb. Bigger too than I think the pictures suggest. Both the train (nice bing 8 studs wide) and station are beautiful, elegant and so well designed, the engineering made me smile a lot as I was building it.
It just looks total quality, the app support too adds a layer of magic that is the icing on the cake.
@CapnRex101 How do you place your stickers? they look very neat.